Method and apparatus for maneuvering ships



May 30, 1967 T. STANWICK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANEUVERING SHIPS ESheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 INVENTOR TAD STANWICK d xizfi Lmw' WATTORNEYS May 30, 1967 T. STANWICK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANEUVERINGSHIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 23 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 INVENTOR TAD STANWICKATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,322,091 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORMANEUVERING SHIPS Tad Stanwick, Washington, D.C., assignor to The Stan-Wick Corporation, Washington, D.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct.1, 1965, Ser. No. 492,097 13 Claims. (Cl. 114-235) The present inventionrelates generally to a method and suggested apparatus for maneuveringships. More particularly, the present invention envisions the use of asuctorial attachment mounted upon a tug boat. Maneuvering of the ship bythe tug is accomplished by engagement of the suctorial attachment withthe ships hull, the result of suction produced by the differentialbetween ambient pressure and the reduced pressure inside the attachment.

The present invention provides for ease in maneuvering ships with tugs.In operation, the tug comes alongside and extends the suctorialattachment, pushing it up against the ships hull. The attachment is madeby suction action and the position of attachment fixed or maintained bya pump unit in the tug, which maintains the vacuum against leakage. Theease of attachment resulting from use of the present invention not onlysaves time, but also reduces the number of personnel required both onthe ship and on the tug for line handling. Also, maneuvering of the shipis controlled entirely from the tug. Finally, release of the suctorialattachment from the hull of the ship is easily and rapidly accomplishedby simply relieving the air vacuum inside the suction cup.

In operation, the tug applies the maneuvering force to the ship throughthe suctorial cup, which can be mounted on the tug either forward oraft. Obviously, duplicate installations may provide even moreflexibility in operation. The present invention also provides theadvantage of the tug being able to work in confined areas withoutabrasive contact with the ships hull. For close-in maneuvering, the tugcan at all times maintain a stand-off position and maneuver clear of theship, preventing getting caught close-in, with the resulting safetyhazard. Since attachment of the suctorial cup to the ships structure isclose to the water line, the present invention applies the maneuveringforces at a flatter angle for more effective use of the tugs thrust.This, in contrast, to the situation present when lines are used inclose-in work, introducing considerable lift to the tug by the ropeconnection to the deck bolster.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod and suggested device for improved operation in ship maneuveringby tugs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for ease inmaneuvering of a ship with the use of a meth- 0d and suggested apparatusemploying suction as a means of providing attachment between ships andtugs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suctorialattachment to be mounted on a tug for attachment to a ship providing forimproved operation in ship maneuvering.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for improved shipmaneuvering by tugs with the use of a suctorial attachment enabling thetugs to work closein in confined areas without abrasive contact with theships hull.

Still a further object of the present invention is to employ a suctorialattachment mounted on a tug for improving the operation of shipmaneuvering wherein control is completely from the tug.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide improvedoperation in ship maneuvering by tugs with the use of a suctorialattachment characterized by 3,322,091 Patented.May 30, 1967 itscapability of being controlled completely from the tug and ease andspeed in being released from the hull of the ship, by simply relievingthe air vacuum inside the suction cup.

Yet, other objects of the present invention will become apparent fromthe ensuing specification and attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates generally the method of employing the presentinvention in maneuvering ships;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating in general asuggested suctorial attachment for use in the method of ship maneuveringof the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the rim of a modifiedsuctorial attachment,-serrated to prevent slippage.

The method of employing the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1,wherein the suctorial attachment, generally designated by the referencenumeral 10, is positioned against the hull 12 of ship 14 with boom 16 oftug 18, to which suctorial attachment 10 is mounted. The fix ofsuctorial attachment 10 against hull 12 is maintained by a pump unitlocated within tug 18, as discussed in detail hereinafter. Similarly,release of suctorial attachment 10 is accomplished merely by relievingthe air vacuum within suction cup 20 of attachment 10.

As generally illustrated in FIG. 2 suction cup 20 is pivotably mountedto boom 16 about axis 22 with the use of support 24 through which pin 26passes. As tip member 28 of boom 16 is attached to pin 26, pivotabilityabout axis 22 is assured.

Boom 16 may be characterized as being of the telescoping tubular steeltype, spring loaded. Within corrugated section 30 of boom 16 is locatedtension/ compression spring 32 which is wrapped around the center piece34 of boom 16. Lowering and raising of boom 16 is accomplished with theuse of hydraulic cylinder 36 and its associated pumping unit 38, alllocated within housing 40 of tug 18.

In general, the supporting structure for suctorial attachment 10, asenvisioned by the present invention, may be similar to that used inaircraft landing gears, such structure being light weight for ease inpositioning and capable of withstanding high dynamic loads. Techniquesfor positioning, extending, retracting, as well as shock mitigation,have been highly developed by the aircraft industry and certainlysuitable for application to boom 16 and its related supportingstructure. 7

Pumping assembly 42, located within housing 40, maintains the vacuum ofcup 20 against loss. Although air lines 44 and 46 are illustrated inFIG. 2 as being routed inside boom 16, similar air lines located alongthe outside of boom 16 may also be employed. In either case, air line 44is tapped into cup 20 at juncture 48 while air line 46 leads directly topump 42. Of course, appropriate controls to properly vent the system andrelease suctorial cup 20 may be employed, as desired, such as vacuumtank 50.

As seen in FIG. 2, suction cup 20 of attachment 10 is in the form of adished head, rimmed with a rubber-type seal or skirt 60 for maintaininga proper seal on hull 12 of ship 14. As skirt 60 is compliant, it willaccept the irregularities in the plating of ship 14, as well asvariations in hull contour, while still providing sealing action.Although the shape of cup 20 is illustrated as being circular,rectangular or other desired configurations may obviously be employed.

The loads which may be applied through suctorial attachment 10 are, ofcourse, a function of the different be tween ambient pressure and thereduced pressure inside cup 20. For example, a differential of 7 p.s.i.below atmospheric will produce a loading of approximately 1,000 lbs./

3 ft. or 27,000 lbs. for a six foot diameter. This load would bedistributed into the ships hull around the rim and for a six footdiameter with a rim length of about 200 inches, the unit loading beingapproximately 135 lbs. per inch.

In the application of maneuvering loads applied by tug 18 to ship 14, itis necessary to provide for loads applied both normal to the hull aswell as parallel. Of particular importance is a load applied parallel tothe hull, which introduces shear between hull 12 and suctorial cup 20.There are, of course, several ways to counter any tendency of thesuctorial cup 20 to slip from hull 12. As seen in FIG. 3, rim or skirt60 may be serrated so that the annular grooves will develop considerableshear on the rough surface of hull 12. For an attachment 6 feet indiameter having a rim four inches in width, serrations inch deep andinch in width may be employed, for example.

Manifestly, variation in maneuvering techniques and apparatus forcreating suction may be employed without departing from the spirit andscope of invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Method for maneuvering a first vessel with respect to a secondvessel, comprising the steps of:

(A) differentiating pressure between an integral portion of said secondvessel which is in contact with said first vessel by means of a rigidboom and ambient,

(B) controlling movement of said integral portion of said second vesselabout said first vessel through said boom.

2. Method as in claim 1, wherein said suction action is initiated onsaid second vessel and creates vacuum within that portion of saidintegral portion of said second vessel in contact with said firstvessel.

3. Apparatus for maneuvering ships, comprising:

(A) a suctorial attachment for engagement against the hull of a firstvessel;

(B) a boom assembly attached to said suctorial attachment at one end;and pivotally attached to a second vessel at the other end;

(C) suction assembly means located on said second vessel for creating adifierential in pressure between said suctorial attachment andatmosphere at preselected times.

4. Apparatus for maneuvering ships as in claim 3, including means forpivoting said suctorial attachment about said boom.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, including means for pivoting said boom withrespect to said second vessel.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said boom is composed of a pluralityof segments in telescoping relationship.

7. Apparatus for maneuvering ships, comprising:

(a) A suctorial attachment for engagement against the hull of a firstvessel;

(b) a telescoping boom assembly pivotably attached to said suctorialattachment at its outer end and pivotably attached to a second vessel atits other base end;

(0) suction assembly means located on said second vessel for creating adifferential in pressure between said suctorial attachment andatmosphere at pro-selected time.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said suctorial attachment includes adished head portion rimmed with a skirt for direct contact with saidhull of said first vessel.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said skirt is serrated so as todefine a plurality of grooves.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said head portion of said suctorialattachment is circular in configuration.

11. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein air lines are routed within saidboom and connecting said suction assembly with said suctorialattachment.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said boom and suction assemblymeans are mounted aft on said second vessel.

13. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said boom and suction assemblymeans are mounted forward on said second vessel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,347,491 4/1944 Lente 11451FOREIGN PATENTS 359,763 2/1906 France.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

1. METHOD FOR MANEUVERING A FIRST VESSEL WITH RESPECT TO A SECONDVESSEL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) DIFFERENTIATING PRESSURE BETWEEN ANINTEGRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND VESSEL WHICH IS IN CONTACT WITH SAIDFIRST VESSEL BY MEANS OF A RIGID BOOM AND AMBIENT, (B) CONTROLLINGMOVEMENT OF SAID INTEGRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND VESSEL ABOUT SAID FIRSTVESSEL THROUGH SAID BOOM.